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The  report  of  a  Pathflndcit 

$unvev  of  living  conditions  which 
point  the  need  of  a  more  intensive 
local  survey— made  for  The  Ccn- 
tutty    Club   of    Scftanton 


By  the  ^ 

Dcpaptment  of  Sunveys  and   Exhibits 
Russell  $aac  Foundation 


Published  by 


Tbc  Ccntutty  Club  of  Scnanton 


SCRANTON,  PA, 
19  13. 


GIFT   OF 

73 <J  ^^     /c7 1>^7  r-yz?  T^nr^ 


LETTER  OF  TRANSMITTAL. 

Department  of  Surveys  and  Exhibits, 
Russell  Sage  Foundation, 
New  York  City. 

Mrs.  Ronald  P.  Gleason,  President, 
The  Century  Club  of  Scranton, 
Scranton,  Pennsylvania. 

My  dear  Mrs.  Gleason : 

Early  last  autumn  Miss  Gertrude  Lovell,  Chair- 
man of  the  City  Improvement  Department  of  the  Century 
Club  of  Scranton,  called  at  our  office  for  information  on 
city  surveys.  The  method  and  subjects  of  inquiry  in  sev- 
eral other  surveys  suggested  a  plan  of  procedure,  and  Miss 
Lovell  returned  to  interest  representative  citizens.  The 
proposed  survey  was  discussed  by  this  committee ;  and  the 
committee  was  enlarged  to  include  citizens  who  were  not 
members  of  the  Club.  On  January  20th  a  preliminary 
diagnosis  or  pathfinder  survey — in  other  words,  a  brief 
examination  of  general  social  conditions  and  the  outlining 


of  the  main  lines  of  investigation  to  be  followed — was 
urged  by  a  member  of  our  staff  as  the  next  step  t6  be 
taken.  This  committee,  we  understand,  made  a  report  to 
the  Century  Club  endorsing  the  proposed  pathfinder  sur- 
vey and  asking  the  Club  to  make  the  necessary  arrange- 
ments to  secure  it.  On  February  1st  your  invitation,  ex- 
tended on  behalf  of  the  directors  of  the  Century  Club,  was 
received. 


402927 


rT> 


Mr.  Zenas  L.  Potter  nnd  Mr.  Franz  Schneider, 
Jr..  members  of  the  >;taff  of  this  Department,  and  I.  spent 
the  week  of  Ahnvh  4th  to  lOth  investigating  eonchtinns  in 
Scranlon  and  pre})aring  onr  ])r('Hininary  report.  Ahitters 
of  ]>nl>He  health  and  sanitation  were  related  to  so  many 
other  |irol)l('ms  that  Mr.  Schneider  spent  the  major  ]>art 
of  his  lime  studying  the  ])u])lic  hcahh  situation,  wliile 
Mr.  Potter  investigated  the  schools,  betterment  ageneies, 
reereation,  general  work  conditions  and  delinquency. 

In  addition  to  gathering  sutheient  local  facts  to  show 
the  need  of  a  further  more  intensive  survev,  it  is  believed 
that  enougli  data  was  collected  to  warrant  the  few  tentative 
reeunnnendations  included  herein. 

I  take  pleasure  in  submitting  the  report  herewith. 

Sincerely, 

(Signed)  Shelby  M.  Harrison, 
March  10,  PJ13.  ^  Director. 


A  PATHFINDER  SURVEY  OFSCRANTON, 
PENNSYLVANIA. 

It  would  seem  to  be  a  necessary  corollary  to  the  theory 
of  democracy  that  a  majority  at  least  of  the  citizens  in  a 
given  community  should  know  conditions  that  bear  upon 
or  show  their  own  community  needs.  Some  of  these  con- 
ditions and  factors,  however,  are  so  complex,  perhaps  due 
in  some  measure  to  the  great  changes  that  have  taken  place 
in  the  last  few  decades,  that  special  study — of  a  kind  that 
the  average  citizen  has  neither  the  time  nor  facilities  for — 
is  rendered  necessary.  One  of  a  number  of  interesting  so- 
cial inventions  which  have  been  fashioned  in  recent  years 
to  meet  this  need  is  the  social  survey.  In  order  to  indicate 
some  of  the  conditions  in  Scranton  calling  for  further 
scrutiny  and  analysis — for  a  social  survey — a  quick  exami- 
nation of  the  city  was  made  along  the  following  lines: 


I  Communitv  assets, 

II  Education, 

III  Puhlic  Health  and  Sanitation, 

IV  Civic  liiiprovenient, 

\'  Bi'ttenni'nt  Agencies, 

\'\  Ivccreation, 

\11  Taxation  and  Public  Finance, 

^'III  AVork  Conditions  and  Relations, 

IX  Delinquency. 

I     COMMU.MTY  ASSETS. 

It  is  the  business  of  a  social  survey  to  discover  the 
local  social  credits  as  well  as  to  uncover  social  debits. 
Otherwise  the  picture  of  the  city  is  one-sided.  No  lengthy 
visit  was  necessary  to  learn  that  Scranton's  credit  list  in- 
cludes a  large  number  of  connnunity  assets.  First  of  all, 
it  is  a  cosmopolitan  city  including  representatives  of  many 
nationalities.  In  1910  nearly  30  per  cent  of  the  city's 
population  (over  85.000  out  of  the  city's  130,000  people) 
were  foreign  born  :  and  the  per  cent  of  those  of  foreign  born 
parentage  runs  much  higher.  Too  often  this  is  considered 
a  liability.  It  very  often  h  that :  but  no  one  who  is  at  all 
familiar  with  our  immigrant  peoples  or  who  has  read  such 
a  book,  for  instance,  as  Prof.  E.  G.  Balch's  "Our  Slavic 
Fellow-citizens"'  will  find  difficulty  in  seeing  new  and 
valuable  contributions  that  are  being  made  to  the  future 
American  type  of  citizen  by  these  newcomers. 

The  activities  of  the  Century  Club  demonstrate  it  to 
be  a  constructive  force  in  the  community,  not  only  through 
the  opportunity  it  gives  for  united,  and  hence  co-operative. 
Avork  by  the  women  of  the  city,  but  also  by  the  forceful 
backing  it  has  given  and  is  giving  to  definite  measures  for 
advance.  Similarly,  judging  from  its  plan  and  scope  of 
work,  the  new  City  Planning  Commission  promises,  in  our 
judgment,  to  be  one  of  the  soundest  organizations  for  city 
progress  that  has  yet  taken  roots  here.     Scran  ton  has  a 


liberal  ^prinklino;  of  attractive  public  buildings,  churches 
and  sdiool  houses.  It  is  almost  entirely  a  city  of  de- 
tached houses  and  it  has  done  soniethino-  at  least  in  the 
direction  of  ])layp;rounds  and  in  stimulating  work  in  home 
gardens.  The  city  may  also  claim  credit  for  setting  to 
work  in  an  attempt  to  solve  its  absorbing  problems  of  sur- 
face cave-ins,  due  to  mining  operations  below. 

It  is  neither  possible  nor  important  to  discuss  all  these 
assets  at  this  time:  but  a  few  may  be  merely  mentioned, 
such  for  instance  as  the  various  hospitals,  the  Y.  M.  C.  A., 
the  Y.  W.  C.  A.,  the  Boys'  Industrial  Association,  the 
Working  Girls'  Club  of  St.  Luke's  Parish,  the  District 
iNurses'  Association,  various  charity  organizations  and  in- 
stitutions both  Protestant  and  Catholic,  and  so  on.  The 
list  to  be  completed  requires  longer  acquaintance  with  the 
city  than  Avas  permitted  us  at  this  time. 

It  is  important  to  get  together  in  easy  reference  form 
information  that  would  acquaint  the  people  of  the  city 
with  the  special  services  that  these  institutions  are  equipp- 
ed to  render.  In  our  short  stay  we  found  citizens,  other- 
wise well  informed,  who  were  not  aware  either  of  the 
methods  or  purposes  of  some  of  the  most  important  social 
organizations  in  the  city. 

The  study  here  suggested  would  also  include  a  setting- 
forth  of  the  things  that  the  city  is  proud  of,  whether  in 
the  way  of  past  accomplishments,  current  work  for  the 
connnon  welfare,  or  the  attractiveness  of  the  physical  en- 
vironment— in  other  words,  the  things  which  make  Scran- 
ton  a  more  desirable  place  in  which  to  live. 

II     EDUCATION. 

In  the  past  the  Scranton  schools  have  been  much 
criticized,  both  from  Avithin  and  without,  and  apparently 
were  in  the  control  of  a  political  system  which  used  them 
to  its  own  purposes.  Recently,  under  a  reorganized  sys- 
tem of  control,  they  have  taken  a  step  forward;  and  the 


plans  of  the  present  board,  as  they  have  come  to  us,  em- 
brace further  measures  ft)r  progress.  Evidences  of  im- 
provement have  been  noted  ulono-  tlie  following  lines: 

First,  whereas  formei'ly  the  teachers  were  often  ap- 
jxiinlcd  and  held  their  places  through  politicid  favor, 
they  are  now  securing  their  places  by  competitive  exam- 
ination. 

Second,  whereas  the  enforcement  of  attendance  laws 
formerly  was  controlled  largely  by  political  pressure,  the 
system  is  now  largely  free  from  it.  Incidentally,  from 
what  evidence  we  have  been  able  to  gather,  we  believe  the 
enforcement  of  the  attendance  laws  might  be  further  im- 
proved. Among  other  things  greater  co-operation  should 
be  secured  of  the  jjarochial  schools.  Only  98  absentees 
were  reported  by  those  institutions  last  year,  a  figure  which 
seems  almost  obviously  inaccurate. 

Third,  a  system  of  medical  inspection  in  the  schools 
has  been  inaugurated;  and  it  has  been  rendered  especially 
valuable  through  follow-up  work  of  the  school  nurses  by 
which  they  have  endeavored  to  secure  treatment  for  de- 
fective children. 

Fourth,  special  attention  is  being  paid  to  night 
schools.  The  registration  is  at  present  1,300,  wdth  an  aver- 
age attendance  of  900.  ,In  a  city  with  so  great  a  foreign 
population  work  of  this  character  is  important  and  should 
be  extended  as  rapidly  as  the  demand  for  it  is  evident. 
Moreover,  the  fact  that  classes  aimed  especially  to  fit  for- 
eigners for  citizenship  have  been  found  to  be  useful  and 
well  attended  in  some  other  cities  may  have  a  suggestion 
for  Scranton. 

Fifth,  in  providing  the  Technical  High  ScIkjoI,  grati- 
fying emphasis  is  placed  on  the  need  for  instruction  in 
the  practical  arts.  The  scope  of  this,  or  other  work  tend- 
ing to  make  children  industrially  intelligent,  needs,  how- 
ever, to  be  extended  into  the  grades ;  for  most  of  the  boys 
who  become  mechanics  and  gp  into  the  trades  never  reach 
the  high  school.     One  of  the  greatest  services  of  industrial 


trainin.a;  Is  in  sho\vin.<>;  ciiildicn  and  their  })arcnts  the 
prac'lic-al  u>c's  of  education,  and  thereby  inducing  as  long 
a  stay  in  sciiool  as  possible.  It  is  desirable  therefore  to 
give  to  till'  mass  of  children  who  are  to  become  workers 
some  coiicei)tion  of  education  as  apjdied  to  life,  before 
they  leave  school.  An  excellent  illustration  of  the  use  of 
technical  training  in  keei)ing  cliildivn  in  school  is  found 
in  the  Technical  High  School.  When  it  was  established 
in  1!)0G  there  were  1,2<S1)  childirn  in  the  high  .schools  of 
the  city.  Now  there  are  1,807,  an  increase  of  518  pupils. 
All  ,but  22  of  the.«e  have  come  through  increases  in  the 
attendance  at  the  Technical  High  School.  During  this 
time  the  per  cent  of  the  total  school  enrollment  formed  by 
high  school  i)upils  has  increased  from  (3.7  to  8.8,  indicat- 
ing that  the  effect  of  the  establishment  of  this  school  has 
been  decidedly  to  increase  the  number  of  children  who 
have  continued  into  high  school  from  the  grammar  grades. 
This  would  seem  to  be  a  forceful  argument  for  extending 
the  work  to  the  lower  grades  so  as  to  interest  the  children 
who  now  leave  school  in  large  numbers  to  go  to  work. 

This  much  for  the  credit  side  of  the  school  situation. 
Turning  the  page,  we  find  that  in  some  respects  Scran  ton 
schools  are  still  behind  the  more  advanced. 

First,  there  are  no  special  classes  for  defective  or  ex- 
ceptional children.  These  children  are  now  either  out  of 
school  rceiving  no  attention,  or  they  are  in  the  regular 
classes  hampering  the  work  of  other  children  and  the 
teachers.  So  long  as  they  are  at  large  they  are  a  possible 
danger  both  to  themselves  and  to  the  community.  The 
children  in  school  who  are  merely  backward  and  in  need 
of  special  attention  which  they  do  not  get  find  themselves 
larger  and  older  than  their  classmates.  They  grow  restless 
and  desire  to  leave  school.  These  children  instead  of  need- 
ing less  attention  and  less  of  a  chance  to  get  an  education 
than  the  average  child,  need  more,  if  they  are  not  to  be- 
come incompetent  and  dependent  on  public  charity.  Thus, 
whether  mentally  defective  or  otherwise  backward,  they 


need  to  be  j^eparated  and  placed  under  teachers  who  can 
give  them  special  altciition.  There  are  fully  as  great  rea- 
sons for  special  attention  to  the  needs  of  exceptionally 
liriulil  cliildrcn  also. 

Second,  tlici'c  arc  no  open-aii"  schools  for  cliildi'cii 
suffering  frt)iii  oi'  lliouglit  (o  he  subject  to  tuberculosis. 
True,  but  one  lulicrctilous  cliild  was  found  in  the  school 
medical  ins[)ection ;  but  lliat  is  an  arguiiient  for  more 
thorough  medical  examinalion  rather  than  against  the 
need  of  open-air  schools. 

Third,  Scranton  has  no  truant  school — not  even 
classes  for  truants.  The  result  is  that  out  of  20  truants 
brought  before  the  courts  last  year  18  had  to  be  sent  to 
reform  schools.  A  truant  is  not  necessarily  a  child  with 
criminal  tendencies;  and  it  is  unfortunate  that  he  should 
have  to  be  treated  as  if  he  were.  Facilities  for  dealing 
with  these  cases  seem  to  be  needeed. 

Fourth,  a  great  neglect  in  Scranton  has  been  on  the 
side  of  physical  care  and  education  of  children.  The  com- 
mon drinking  cup  is  still  to  be  found  in  many  schools. 
Kot  a  single  school  in  the  city  is  provided  with  a  gymna- 
sium. Some  schools  are  over-crowded.  One  is  on  a  half- 
time  system.  At  another  where  operations  beneath  the 
surface  prevent  immediate  relief  in  the  way  of  new  build- 
ings, clas.^es  are  being  held  in  an  annex  that  has  been 
condemned  by  the  State  Board  of  Health.  These  are  con- 
ditions known  to  the  School  Board,  however,  and  plans  for 
their  elimination  are  already  on  foot.  The  plans  of  the 
Board  will  be  furthered  by  strong  backing  from  the  com- 
nmnity. 

Fifth,  unfortunately,  when  many  of  the  schools  were 
built  no  adequate  play  space  was  secured.  At  least  three 
schools  have  no  yard  at  all.  The  result  is  tliat  in  the  short 
recess  allowed,  and  before  and  after  school,  the  children  are 
forced  to  the  streets.  Where  such  conditions  exist,  play 
yards  should  be  secured  at  the  earliest  possible  time.  It 
will  not  be  economy  to  delay,  for  the  cost  will  increase 


yearly.  Where  there  are  yards,  ihey  have  not  in  any  ease 
been  equipped  with  play  apparatus  and  in  no  case  has  i)lay 
on  them  been  under  direction  out  of  school  hours  or  dur- 
ing the  summer  vacation.  Fortunately  the  School  Board 
rcc(jjL>nizes  the  need  here  and  jilans  to  equip  lour  of  these 
school  yards  this  year  and  emj)loy  playground  directors. 
It  is  to  be  hoped  that  this  is  only  a  heiiinning  toward 
general  use  of  what  yards  there  are. 

All  over  the  country  school  authorities  and  citizens 
are  beginning  to  realize  that  they  have  made  uneconomical 
use  of  their  school  properties  in  having  them  open  only 
a  few  hours  five  days  in  the  week.  Schools  are  being- 
opened  up  afternoons  and  evenings  for  clubs,  study  classes, 
mothers'  organizations,  lectures,  public  meetings  and  rec- 
reation purposes;  and  the  school  is  taking  the  place  it 
should  as  a  common  meeting  ground  for  all  the  people. 
In  many  cities  it  has  resulted  in  a  new  spirit  of  civic  pride 
and  new  interest  in  community  affairs  on  the  part  of  many. 
Several  million  dollars  are  invested  by  the  people  of  Scran- 
ton  in  school  buildings  and  equipment.  Why  should  this 
money  return  only  50  per  cent  on  the  investment  because 
used  only  50  per  cent  of  the  time,  when  it  might  return 
100  per  cent?  Why  should  boys  and  girls  be  forced  to 
find  their  meeting  places  on  the  street  corners  or  at  places 
where  the  influences  may  be  even  more  unwholesome, when 
they  might  find  them  in  the  favorable  environment  of  the 
school?  Wliy  should  fraternal  and  labor  organizations  be 
forced  to  hire  halls  for  their  meetings  when  the  schools 
stand  dark  and  empty?  Why  should  not  mothers'  clubs 
be  encouraged  by  a  free  and  agreeable  meeting  place? 
The  Scranton  authorities  are  awake  to  the  matter,  for  plans 
have  been  conceived  for  placing  libraries  in  four  schools 
this  year  and  opening  the  buildings  for  evening  lectures. 
It  is  to  be  hoped  that  these  innovations  will  receive  such 
universal  public  support  as  to  encourage  a  much  more 
extensive  program. 

On  the  wdiole,  the  citizens  of  Scranton  have  reason  to 


take  pride  in  the  real  pro^re^s  ^vhit•h  has  been  made  in 
school  matters.  Jiut  alono;  some  lines  there  is  still  pressing 
demand  for  improvement.  Were  a  social  survey  of  Scran- 
ton  undertaken,  we  helieve  a  thorough  investigation  of 
some,  or  all.  of  the  following  sul)jeets  wnuld  he  profitable: 


1.  School  finance. 

2.  School  adnunistration. 
8.  The  school  plant. 

4.  Teaching  efficiency. 

5.  Extent  to  which  schools  reach  school  population. 

6.  Adaptation  of  instruction  to  pupils'  needs. 

7.  Provision  for  physical  care  of  children. 

8.  Social  uses  of  schools. 

9.  Relation  between  the  public  and  the  school. 


III.     PUBLIC  HEALTH  AND  SANITATION. 

The  health  of  a  city  will  l)e  determined  by  three  fact- 
ors: fii^t,  the  inherent  strength  or  hardiness  of  its  people ; 
second,  the  efforts  of  the  individuals,  by  prudent  conduct, 
to  keep  in  good  physical  condition  ;  and  third,  the  sanitary 
condition  of  the  environment  in  which  its  residents  live. 
With  the  first  of  these  factors — the  inherent  hardiness  of 
the  people — the  municipality  can  have  little  to  do,  cer- 
tainly little  of  an  immediate  nature.  The  science  of  eu- 
genics, to  be  sure,  is  attempting  to  work  out  principles  to 
prevent  breeding  of  the  unfit,  and  in  other  ways  to  improve 
the  human  stock ;  but  this  science  is  in  its  infancy  and 
results  at  best  will  be  deferred.  The  second  factor — per- 
sonal hygiene — offers  a  somewhat  better  field  for  com- 
munity effort,  giving  opportunities  for  education  in  the 
care  of  the  body  and  of  the  mind.  It  depends  to  such  a 
degree  on  the  individual  himself,  however,  that  it  is  ob- 
viously a  field  in  which  it  will  be  extremely  difficult  for 
the  city  to  exercise  any  organized  control. 


'I'lio  third  factor — the  sanitary  condition  of  the  envi- 
ronment— docs,  however,  offer  laruc  and  well  defined  op- 
jHirtunities  for  oroanized  nnniieipal  (effort,  nnd  it  is  with 
liiis  hraiieli  of  hygiene  that  we  have  to  do  in  a  health  sur- 
vey, 'rile  aceuiuulations  of  knowlidiie  in  this  field  have 
heen  so  iarue  and  rajtid  in  the  last  few  decades  that  the 
terms  sanitation.  ]nihlic  hy.uiene  and  public  health  science 
have  come  into  counnou  u^e.  It  should  l)e  noted  in  ])ass- 
\\\iX  that  sanitation  is  eoncci'ned  with  not  only  the  inani- 
mate portion  of  our  environment  hut  with  the  aniiuate 
l)art  as  well.  Sanitarians  are  realizing;  more  and  more 
that  in  ])reventing  the  spread  of  disease  attention  nui~t  he 
centered  on  the  aflflieted  individuals. 

In  making  the  survey  of  a  city's  public  health  it  is  f 
convenient  to  keep  two  main  objects  in  view.  The  lirst  is 
an  investigation  of  those  big  general  sanitary  prol^lems 
which  are  common  to  all  conmiunity  life — such  problems 
as  the  ])rocnrement  of  safe  water  and  milk,  the  prevention 
of  overcrowding  in  j)oor  .sections,  the  conservation  of  infant 
life;  and  the  restriction  of  the  ravages  of  tuberculosis.  The 
second  part  of  such  a  survey  is  concerned  with  an  examina- 
tion of  tlie  city's  organized  health  work.  The  object  here 
is  to  determine  whether  the  work  of  the  Bureau  of  Health 
is  adequate  in  scope  and  efficient  in  practice. 

In'  this  report  an  endeavor  will  be  made  to  give  a 
brief  estimate  of  the  status  of  Scranton  in  these  two  re- 
spects, and  to  point  out  those  problems  Avhich  call  for  the 
detailed  study  afforded  by  a  more  thorough-going  survey. 

\'     General  Problems. 

a.     Water  Supply  and  Sewage  Disposal. 

Following  the  typhoid  fever  epidemics  of  1906  and 
1907,  the  Scranton  Gas  and  Water -Company  made  vigor- 
ous efforts  to  improve  the  cjuality  of  its  water.  Disinfec- 
tion  apparatus  was   installed   on    the   Elmhurst  supply; 

10 


water-^hed?-  were  improved :  and  ihe  water  \va.<  placed  un- 
der the  supervision  of  Mr.  G.  R.  Taylor,  a  competent 
chemist  and  sanitarian.  It  would  appear  that  the  supply 
is  being  continually  imiirovid  as  oppr)rtuiiily  offers,  and 
that  the  sanitary  p;ilicy  and  managemeiU  of  the  company 
is  of  a  progressive  and  connnendable  order.  The  Provi- 
dence supply  is  now  liUered:  and  bacteriological  and 
chemical  analysis  by  b')th  the  city  and  company  labora- 
tories indicate  that  the  entire  city  is  receiving  a  safe  water. 
The  sewerage  situation  seems  to  present  no  funda- 
mentally serious  problems  beyond  the  possible  need  for  a 
well  worked  out  sewerage  plan  for  the  city  and  adjacent 
suburbs.  As  the  city  grows,  its  topography  will  doubtless 
allow  the  increasing  demands  for  sewerage  to  be  met  by 
the  construction  of  new  systems ;  and  it  would  appear  that 
the  old  ones  will  not  be  burdened  beyond  relief.  The  in- 
adequacy of  the  sewers  in  the  Court  House  and  Pine  Brook 
districts  is  now  being  remedied  by  the  construction  of  relief 
sewers.  At  present  probably  50  per  cent  of  the  population 
is  connected  with  sewers,  perhaps  75  per  cent  of  the  people 
in  the  built-up  districts,  and  improvements  under  way 
will  add  another  5  per  cent  to  the  latter  figure.  Too  many 
objectionable  privy  vaults  still  exist,  however,  and  while 
the  Bureau  of  Health  de'-erves  credit  for  its  effective  work 
in  doing  away  with  many  of  these  and  in  compelling 
connections  with  the  sewers,  this  policy  needs  to  be  con- 
tinued and  prosecuted  vigorously.  The  sewage  of  the 
city  enters  the  Lackawanna  river  at  some  39  points  and 
is  apparently  rendered  inobjectionable  by  the  strong  acid 
mine  waters. 

b.     Milk  Supply. 

The  data  on  file  at  the  Bureau  of  Health  is  hardly 
sufficient  to  allow  the  formulation  of  a  fair  estimate  of  the 
sanitary  quality  of  the  city's  milk  supply.  Some  useful 
work  has  been  done  in  the  instruction  of  farmers  and 


11 


handlers  in  the  principles  of  clean  milk  production,  but 
in  our  judjiinent  the  work  has  been  too  restricted  in  scope 
to  allow  of  any  safe  generalization. 

Such  results  as  are  availaljle  indicate  that  most  of  the 
milk  is  of  fair  sanitary  (piality;  but  in  the  opinion  of  at 
least  one  well-informed  citizen  the  general  condition  of 
the  sui)ply  is  bad.  An  examination  of  the  figures  record- 
ing the  temperatures  of  milk  in  July,  1912,  shows  that  out 
of  21  tests  made  of  milk  being  delivered  in  wagons,  not 
one  met  the  legal  standard  of  oO°  F;  in  nine  cases  the 
temperature  recorded  was  55°  F,  while  in  the  other  12 
the  milk  was  at  6d°  F  or  higher.  In  the  face  of  these  facts 
and  of  the  very  real  hygienic  importance  of  clean  milk, 
it  would  appear  to  be  but  the  part  of  wisdom  to  institute 
a  thorough-going  examination  of  the  entire  supply. 

c.  Refuse  Disposal  and  Street  Cleaning. 

The  brief  nature  of  this  investigation  has  precluded 
the  formation  of  any  judgment  as  to  the  value  of  the 
city's  system  of  refuse  disposal.  .V  more  extended  survey 
could  go  thoroughly  into  the  sanitary  and  business  eflici- 
ency  of  this  service,  as  well  as  into  the  efficiency  of  the 
allied  matter  of  street  cleaning. 

d.  Infant  Mortality. 

Clearly  one  of  the  most  pressing  hygienic  problems 
of  the  day  is  the  prevention  of  infant  mortality.  Taking 
the  country  as  a  whole,  nearly  one-fifth  of  all  deaths  that 
occur  are  among  infants  in  their  first  year  of  life.  Tuber- 
culosis, the  great  white  plague,  claims  only  one-half  as 
many  victims  as  the  diseases  which  attack  these  infants. 
The  lieaviest  mortality  occurs,  furthermore,  in  the  first 
month  of  life.  While  this  problem  is  bound  up  with  those 
of  housing,  milk  supply  and  excessive  summer  tempera- 
ture, sanitarians  are  coming  more  and  more  to  recognize 
that  the  mortality  figures  mean,  to  a  large  degree,  lack  of 

12 


proper  c-nre  and  feeding,  and  they  are  agreed  that  here  is 
one  of  the  most  promising  fu'l*!.-  for  preventive  medicine. 
■It  is  regrettahle.  therefore,  that  we  lind  in  Scranton  no 
organized  agency  carrying  (in  a  campaign  against  this 
evil:  and  ihi-  in  face  of  the  lad  tiiat  in  li»ll  alone  4()<) 
Scranton  infants  ilicd  in  th<'ir  lirst  year  of  Hfe.  There  is 
hardly  room  for  doubt  tliat  a  good  proportion  of  these  lives 
might  have  been  saved  by  properly  directed  effort.  Pre- 
natal care  should  be  introduced:  prompt  birth  reporting 
should  be  required:  midwives  should  be  examined,  regis- 
tered and  supervised :  and  nurses  should  \)g  sent  to  instruct 
mothei-s  in  infant  feeding,  and  to  improve  the  sanitary 
condition  of  the  home. 

A  disposition  is  discernablc  in  some  quarters  of  the 
city  to  refuse  nursing  aid  at  births  attended  by  midwives. 
It  should  be  remembered  in  this  connection  that  the  mid- 
wife is  believed  by  many  social  and  public  health  leaders 
to.  be  with  us  to  stay,  and  that  a  good  mid-wife  has  a  place 
in  our  present  social  strvicture.  Incompetent  ones  should, 
of  course,  be  eliminated  and  the  others  should  be  held 
strictly  to  a  high  standard:  but  it  seems  unwise  to  try  to 
eliminate  them  by  refusing  to  aid  the  patient.  The  im- 
portant thing  is  to  conserve  the  lives  involved.  In  passing, 
it  may  be  mentioned  that  Scranton  infants  under  two  years 
of  age  suffer  undulv  from  diarrhoea  and  enteritis — diseases 
especially  associated  with  improper  care  and  feeding;  and 
that  the  death  rate  from  puerperal  causes  also  seems  higher 
than  should  be  expected,  another  indication  of  the  need  for 
a  division  of  infant  hygiene. 

e.     Medical  Inspection  of  Schools. 

Turning  now  to  another  of  the  more -important  health 
problems,  we  find  Scranton  much  more  happily  situated. 
A  beginning  has  been  made  on  medical  inspection  of 
schools,  and  already  encouraging  results  are  reported.  The 
present  plan  provides  for  an  inspection  of  all  school  chil- 
is 


dren,  the  wmk  hciiig  done  by  20  medical  in.-poctor,<  undLT 
the  siiinTx  i.-idii  of  a  chief  inspector,  who  is  Dr.  W.  E. 
Keller,  Superintendent  of  Health.  Ninres  are  hired  from 
the  District  Niir^^inu-  Association  to  follow  up  cases  in  the 
home  and  to  see  that  the  (loct<ir"s  directions  are  carri('(l 
out.  This  most  useful  line  of  activity,  inilialcc]  hy  the 
Board  of  SclKKtl  Dii-cctors  and  vi.L;(ii'(aisly  directed  hy  Dr. 
Keller,  sliould  he  encoui'aucd  and  extended. 

/.     Hoiifiing. 

The  large  question  of  housing  can  l>e  hut  touched  on 
in  a  rapid  survey  of  this  kind.  The  most  cur.sory  investi- 
gation, however,  discloses  a  very  large  nundjer  of  alley 
dwellings,  dark  rooms,  overcrowded  houses,  and  insanitary 
yards  and  premises.  Some  of  the  worst  offenders  in  these 
respects  are  buildings  owned  and  rented  by  the  city.  There 
is  ample  need  of  a  comprehensive  investigation  of  this 
problem. 

g.     Hospifal  fdcilities. 

The  city  seems  to  be  well  equipped  with  general  hos- 
pital facilities.  The  most  striking  deficiency  is  the  lack  of 
a  contagious  disease  hospital,  or  of  contagious  wards  in  the 
general  hospitals.  As  a  result  all  cases  of  contagious  di- 
seases must  be  isolated  in  the  home — a  procedure  which, 
especially  in  poor  and  crowded  districts,  often  results  in 
hardship  to  the  family  and  danger  to  the  patient  and  the 
public.  Moreover,  as  in  many  connnunities,  the  hospitals 
have  been  established  to  meet  what  seemed  the  most  i)ress- 
ing  needs  of  the  time,  but  with  little  reference  to  possible 
overlapping  or  gaps  in  the  service.  It  is,  therefore,  im- 
portant to  go  over  the  whole  field  and  ascertain  the  need 
for  both  general  and  special  hospital  service,  such  for  in- 
stance as  hospitals  for  maternity  cases,  for  children,  for 
ear  and  eye  troubles,  and  for  others. 

14 


A  rapid  huiuiry  into  tlu'  activities  of  the  District 
Nurses'  Association  indicattv  that  it  is  doiiit;  a  vahiahle 
work,  one  deservin<>  Hl)eral  sui)i)()rt  and  encouragement. 
I'iXcellrnt  opportuiiilics  arc  (iircrc<I  here  for  cD-dpci'atidU 
with  the   I5urcan  of   1  Icahli. 

/(.      Tab'  rcn/d.^is. 

AUhough  the  niortahly  figures  for  Scranton  indicate 
rather  less  than  the  average  amount  of  tuherculosis,  Dr. 
Reifsnyder,  Director  of  the  local  Dispensary  for  Tubercu- 
losis of  the  State  Board  of  Health,  believes  the  disease  is 
much  more  prevalent  than  the  figures  indicate;  and  that 
the  city  represents  in  this  respect  an  average  bad  condi- 
tion. The  State  dispensary  has  two  nurses  who  visit  cases 
in  the  home,  and  is  adequately  financed;  Dr.  Reifsnyder 
states  that  his  difficulty  is  to  get  people  to  come  for  treat- 
ment. Here  again  are  splendid  opportunities  for  co-oper- 
ation between  social  workers,  visiting  nurses,  the  local 
Bureau  of  Health,  and  the  Tuberculosis  Dispensary;  and 
as  this  is  one  of  the  more  fruitful  branches  of  sanitary 
endeavor,  the  importance  of  careful  study  of  the  situation 
should  need  only  to  be  indicated. 

?.     Acciflenfs. 

Before  leaving  the  big  general  problems,  accidents 
should  claim  at  least  a  moment's  notice.  In  1910,  accord- 
ing to  the  Mortality  Statistics  of  the  Census  Office,  there 
occured  in  Scranton  from  violent  causes,  other  than  sui- 
cide, 218  deaths.  While  not  as  bad  a  record  as  those  of 
some  other  Pennsylvania  cities,  this  gives  Scranton  a  death 
rate  from  this  cause  of  167.1  per  100,000  population,  a 
tigure  considerably  higher  than  Pittsburgh's  (134.3)  and 
nearly  double  that  in  the  country  at  large  (90.3).  A 
large  proportion  of  these  deaths  are  due  of  course  to  mine 
accidents,  and  some  are  doubtless  unavoidable ;  the  prob- 
lem, morever,  is  being  worked  on  by  the  Federal  authori- 

15 


ties.  A  ratlu-r  surprising  number  of  the  deaths  are  due, 
however,  to  raih-oad  and  otlier  avoidable  accidents.  I^urns 
(conliagrations  excepted)  alone  were  responsible  in  1911 
for  23  deaths,  Scranton's  death  rate  from  burns  being 
over  twice  that  of  the  country  at  large.  A  brief  scanning 
of  a  number  of  death  certificates  selected  at  random  indi- 
cated that  these  deaths  from  burns  are  largely  among 
young  children,  and  result  from  ]>laying  with  matches  and 
from  scalding.  It  might  be  very  well  worth  while  to 
study  this  matter  thoroughly.  It  is  also  suggestive  that 
in  going  no  further  than  the  first  two  months  of  1912  it 
appeared  that  two  persons  were  killed  at  grade  crossings. 

2.     The  Work  of  the  Bureau  of  Health. 

a.     Appropriation. 

Turning  now  to  the- question  of  the  efficiency  of 
Scranton's  Bureau  of  Health  work,  due  notice  must  be 
given  to  the  absurdly  small  amount  of  money  appropria- 
ted. The  city  appropriates-for  the  Bureau's  work,  roughly 
1  per  cent  of  its  total  expenditures — about  $12,500  a  year. 
For  each  man,  woman  and  child  in  Scranton  this  means 
nine  cents  a  year  for  health.  .If  we  are  liberal  in  our  cal- 
culation and  include  the  money  spent  by  the  Board  of 
School  Directors  for  medical  inspection,  the  total  sum  will 
be  around  $20,000,  and  the  per  capita  figure  about  15 
cents.  When  these  figures  are  compared  with  the  average 
of  about  35  cents  for  American  cities  and  the  iNew  York 
City  Department's  expenditure  of  60  cents,  we  see  that 
Scranton  is  here  indeed  a  laggard. 

The  result  of  this  small  expenditure  is  exactly  what 
might  be  expected.  The  Bureau  of  Health  is  under- 
manned and  overworked;  and  there  are  certain  most  im- 
portant fields  of  activity,  such  as  infant  hygiene,  which  it 
has  not  entered  at  all.  As  the  different  branches  of  the 
Bureau's  work  are  discussed,  it  will  appear  just  how  much 

16 


it  IS  hampered  by  siieli  a  sliort-siglited  policy.  'To  enable 
the  Bureau  (<>  i)ert'()nn  its  full  service  to  the  community, 
and  to  brin^  it  abreast  the  progressive  cities  of  the  country, 
will  i)robably  require  the  doubling  or  trebling  of  its  present 
ai)propriation. 

.In  |)assing  it  may  be  remarked  that  the  Bureau's  form 
of  organization  as  a  part  of  tlie  Department  of  Public 
Safety  represents  a  system  in  which  grave  defects  are  in- 
herent. As  a  general  proposition,  the  Superintendent  of 
Health  should  occupy  an  independent  position,  as  he  is 
the  specialist  in  public  health  work,  and  his  administration 
should  not  be  endangered  by  the  possibility  of  interference 
or  veto  by  a  Director  of  Public  Safety  who  is  neither  a 
jjhysician  nor  sanitarian.  The  present  form  of  organiza- 
tion was  tried  and  rejected  in  Pittsburgh. 

b.  Vital  Statistics. 

The  work  of  the  Bureau  of  Vital  Statistics  should  be 
commended  in  that  there  has  been  a  disposition  to  bind 
and  keep  records  carefully  and  to  tabulate  past  records 
where  possible.  Birth  reporting,  which  is  very  important 
in  studying  infant  mortality,  has  been  very  poor;  and  the 
Bureau  should  co-operate  with  the  State  Board  of  Health 
in  its  efforts  to  improve  the  situation. 

c.  Communicable  Diseases. 

The  first  requisite  for  proper  control  of  communica- 
ble diseases  and  the  prevention  of  death  from  these  causes 
is  prompt  and  complete  reporting  to  the  Bureau  of  Health 
by  doctors  of  all  cases  visited.  It  is  unfortunate,  there- 
fore, that  in  Scranton  reporting  seems  to  be  poor.  Typhoid 
fever,  scarlet  fever,  and  diphtheria  are  now  fairly  well  re- 
ported, but  measles,  mumps,  whooping  cough,  chicken  pox 
(important  because  of  its  confusion  iu  some  cases  with 
smallpox),  and  tuberculosis  are  very  poorly  reported  in- 
deed.    For  example,  no  cases  of  whooping  cough,  a  disease 

17 


I»r;K'ti(-'ally  as  (lan<2;en)us  as  scarlet  fever  and  measles,  were 
reported  at  all  in  1011,  althongh  five  deaths  from  it  were 
reported  dnring  the  same  year.  Adequate  reporting  of 
coiiiiiiuiiicalile  diseases  is  of  vilal  iinporlanco  and  calls  for 
active  and  close  c()-()j»crati(iii  Ix'lwccn  llic  doclors  and  llu; 
lUn'cau  (if  Ilcallli — which  does  not  now  exist. 

Isolation  of  the  ])alicn(  in  Scranton  must  be  alwaj^ 
in  the  home,  because  of  the  lack  of  contagious  disease 
hos})ital  facilities.  This  is  another  serious  handicap  to  tlie 
public  health  work.  The  house  is  placarded  by  a  sani- 
tary officer,  after  which  the  supervision  of  quarantine  is 
turned  over  to  the  fumigating  officer.  The  latter  must  see 
that  quarantine  is  maintained  and  must  terminate  the 
ease  and  disinfect;  as  he  must  handle  the  situation  alone, 
it  is  not  surprising  to  hear  reports  of  lax  quarantine.  If 
the  published  figures  for  1911  are  to  be  trusted,  there  ap- 
parently is  justification  for  these  reports.  In  that  year 
547  cases  were  placarded  and  231  visits  made  to  houses 
quarantined,  an  average  of  about  one  visit  to  every  two 
cases.  To  maintain  effective  quarantine,  especially  among 
foreigners,  frequent  re-inspections  are  necessary;  but  in- 
stead of  that,  there  is  not  sufficient  provision  for  the  first 
inspection.  It  is  perfectly  clear  of  course  that  men  and 
money  are  necessary  to  maintain  efficient  quarantine;  and 
that  the  Bureau  of  Healtli,  no  matter  how  faithful  its 
employees,  can  not  provide  adequate  service  if  the  city  will 
not  pay  the  price. 

(/.     Food  (til (I  Milk  Inspection. 

The  duties  of  food  and  milk  inspection  are  delegated 
in  Scranton  to  one  man.  The  task  is  relatively  enormous. 
The  inspector  in  question  deserves  all  credit  for  the  amount 
of  work  he  has  accomplished,  but  a  mere  recital  of  his 
duties  shows  plainly  the  impossibility  of  their  complete 
performance.  To  this  one  man  falls  the  oversight  of  all 
meat,   fish,  vegetables,   fruit,  ice  cream,   milk  and  other 

18 


foods  coiisuiiied  in  the  eiiy;  ihv  iii>pec'liuii  of  all  freight 
houses,  cold  storage  houses,  slaughter  houses,  restaurants, 
markets,  dining  rooms,  and  the  hke;  the  condemnation 
and  seizure  of  all  illegal  foods  and  the  handling  of  the  re- 
sulting prosecutions;  and  llic  inspection  of  all  milk 
hrouglit  into  the  city  and  of  its  places  of  sale.  In  addi- 
tion, there  are  some  1,000  head  of  cattle,  hogs  and  poultry 
slaughtered  weekly  in  the  city  which  receive  neither  State 
nor  Federal  inspection,  for  the  examination  of  which  the 
city  in.^pector  is  therefor  responsihle.  At  a  conservative 
estimate,  this  man  is  confronted  with  work  sufficient  to  oc- 
cupy five  inspectors. 

In  view  of  this  state  of  affairs  it  is  not  surprising  to 
find  that  the  -work  of  milk  inspection  is  not  well  adjusted. 
In  1912  for  example,  out  of  105  samples  bacteriologically 
examined,  only  one  was  taken  during  the  hot  months — 
June,  July  and  August — when  milk  is  most  likely  to 
spoil;  as  against  104  taken  during  the  comparatively  cooler 
nine  months.  The  report  for  1911  also  shows  an  unfor- 
tunate preponderance  of  chemical  samples,  522,  to  deter- 
mine richness,  as  against  63  .bacteriological  examinations 
to  determine  sanitary  quality. 

The  inspector  of  dairies  and  water-sheds  is  not  so 
badly  overworked  as  the  food  inspector,  but  his  labors  could 
be  made  more  valuable  by  the  use  of  a  standard  dairy 
score  card. 

e.     Plumbing  Inspection. 

Judging  by  the  number  of  master  plumbers  in  the 
city,  by  the  building  operations,  and  by  the  report  of  the 
plumbing  inspector,  it  appears  that  the  inspection  as  car- 
ried on  is  not  thorough,  and  that  a  very  considerable  part 
of  the  work  installed  escapes  any  inspection  whatever. 
There  is  probably  enough  work  in  the  city  to  require  an- 
other inspector;  but  the  present  effort  is  not,  in  our  opin- 
ion, as  vigorous  as  might  reasonably  be  expected.     Reor- 

19 


,c;nnizati()ii  <>f  tliis  service  is  indicated,  in  which  event  it 
will  be  well  to  consider  the  advisability  of  aligning  the 
work  with  that  of  the  l)uilding  de])artni('nt. 

/,     Scut  ltd  rij  I  iispccfioii. 

Sanitary  inspection  is  delegated  to  two  sanitary  of- 
ficers. Their  efforts  are  augmented  in  the  spring  by  three 
or  four  others  who  aid  in  a  general  spring  and  summer 
clean-up.  The  latter  is  a  commendable  plan ;  but  con- 
sidering the  housing  ])roblems  at  hand  and  the  existence  of 
so  many  objectionable  privy  vaults,  it  is  fair  to  say  that 
there  is  opportunity  for  permanent  employment  of  several 
more  inspectors. 

g.     The  Laboratory. 

The  bacteriological  and  chemical  laboratory  is  under 
the  direction  of  Dr.  J.  M.  Wainwright,  a  competent  man. 
The  value  of  the  work  would  be  much  increased  by  the 
installation  of  a  reliable  room  temperature  incubator. 

SuTYimary  Regarding  the  Bureau  of  Health. 

To  summarize,  the  Bureau  of  Health  may  be  com- 
mended for: 

(1)  Preserving  and  binding  old  death  records  and 
ado})ting  the  international  classification  of  the  causes  of 
death;  (2)  extending  sewer  connections;  (3)  its  share  in 
the  medical  inspection  of  schools;  (4)  maintaining  a  la- 
boratory; (5)  printing  an  annual  report;  (6)  annual 
spring  clean-up ;  (7)  efforts  at  food  and  milk  inspection; 
(8)  doing  the  best  it  can  with  an  entirely  inadequate  ap- 
proi:)riation. 

On  the  other  hand  the  work  of  the  Bureau  may  be 
criticized  for: 

(1)  Its  form  of  organization;  (2)  undermanning; 
(3)   lack  of  educational  and  publicity  features;   (4)  lack 

20 


of  |)riiited  codes  fur  (li.<ti'ibutit)ii;  (5)  jioor  reporting  of 
contagious  diseases:  (6)  weak  isolation  of  contagions  di- 
seases; (7)  lack  of  contagious  disease  hospital;  (S)  lack 
of  work  against  infant  mortality,  including  poor  hirtli 
reporting:  (i:*)  inadequate  milk  and  food  inspection;  (10) 
ineffective  plumbing  inspection;  (11)  inadequate  sanitary 
inspection;  (12)  lack  of  housing  inspection. 

It  should  bo  borne  in  mind  that  the  fundamental 
causes  of  many  of  these  criticisms  is  the  Bureau's  lack  of 
proper  financial  support. 

3.     Conclusions. 

Scranton  is  fortunate  in  having  an  active,  hardy,  and 
young  population — such  as  is  generally  productive  of  a 
relatively  low  death  rate.  Its  existing  average  rate,  there- 
fore, may  be  due  largely  to  its  population  assets,  and  so 
offer  no  testimonial  of  satisfactorv  sanitarv  conditions. 
Uncorrected  death  rates  are  extremely  misleading  and  (if 
little  comparative  value.  On  the  other  hand,  it  seems 
fairly  evident  that  the  city  suffers  unduly  from  certain 
causes  of  death,  such  as  accidents  and  infant  diarrhoea ; 
that  there  are  many  manifestly  insanitary  conditions. — 
as  typified  by  the  numerous  objectionable  privy  vaults 
and  by  the  housing  .■situation ;  that  the  Bureau  of  Health 
is  handicapped  by  an  entirely  inadequate  appropriation, 
and  that  its  value  to  the  community  can  be  greatly  in- 
creased. The  logical  improvements  in  these  matters — 
such  as  could  be  carefully  planned  as  a  result  of  a  more 
comprehensive  survey,  should  have  a  very  real  effect  upon 
the  health  and  comfort  of  the  citizens.  The  opportunity 
to  add  to  Scranton's  material  prosperity  by  surrounding 
her  robust  people  with  a  thorough  sanitary  oiivironiiient 
now  exists,  and  we  can  only  hope  that  it  will  not  be  ne- 
glected. 

A  list  of  subjects  for  a  full  investigation  follows: 
(a)   Survey  of  city  for  insanitary  conditions — in- 

21 


eluding  studies  of  housing,  privy  vaults,  well^.  etc. 
(1))    Investigation  of  the  causes  of  death. 

(c)  A  plan    for  the  reorganization   of  the    I>ureau 
of  Health. 

(d)  Outlining,  in  .<oiiic  detail,  of  new  work  for  tiie 
Bureau  of  Health. 

(e)  Investigation  of  milk  sui)[)ly. 

(f )  Jnvestigation  of  efficiency  of  refuse  disposal  and 
street  cleaning. 

(g)  Study  of  hospital  situation  and  visiting  nursing, 
(h)  Investigation  of  questions  of  industrial  hygiene, 
(i)    Plan  of  campaign  for  infant  hygiene. 

(j)    Tuberculosis. 

IV.     CniC  IMPROVEMENT. 

"We  have  delhied  this  term  to  mean  more  .^pecilically 
such  improvement  as  will  affect  the  physical  arrangement 
and  appearance  of  the  city.  Cities  yield  to  direction  in 
their  growth  in  many  ways,  just  as  individuals,  institu- 
tions or  Inisiness  concerns  do.  It  is  therefore  important 
for  the  city  to  have  a  plan  of  development.  It  is  gratify- 
ing to  note  that  ]Mr.  John  Nolan  has  already  been  brought 
to  the  city  to  work  out  plans  of  this  kind.  Our  point  is 
not  that  this  work  should  in  any  way  be  duplicated  but 
that  it  be  carried  ahead  to  a  point  of  fruition  and  that 
further  facts,  if  necessary,  be  gathered  to  show  the  im- 
portance of  adopting  some  plan  of  city  growth.  Such  a 
plan  does  not  necessarily  involve  a  large  expenditure  in 
any  one  year ;  it  is  merely  the  adoption  of  a  program  which 
will  provide  for  a  systematic  and  unified  city  development 
in  future  years.  New  additions  to  the  city  and  new^  streets 
will  be  opened  up;  shall  they  have  a  haphazard  relation 
to  the  whole  or  shall  they  fit  into  a  settled  plan?  Manu- 
facturing, retail  and  residential  sections  need  to  be  kept 
in  mind  as  the  city  spreads;  and  future  recreation  needs 
may  not  with  impunit}'-  be  neglected. 

22 


Scraiiton  already  lias  a  serious  grade  crossing  i)r()h- 
leiii  on  its  hands.  ,Tt  is  also  cut  up  into  sections  by  the 
several  streams  that  nm  (lirdugh  the  main  sections  of  the 
city,  'i'hese  streams  are  not  only  inadequately  bridged 
but  notliiiig  (if  imi>!trtanee  has  yet  been  done  to  improve 
their  river  fronts  or  to  deter  corporations  or  individuals 
from  encroaching  on  the  river  beds  and  thereby,  among 
other  things,  increasing  the  danger  from  tloods.  Simi- 
larly, the  bill-board  nuisance,  the  lack  of  paving  in  much 
of  the  citv  and  the  problems  of  allev  dwellings,  already 
referrt>d  to.  will  need  to  be  tackled  sooner  or  later.  IIow 
far  these  needs  have  been  covered  in  Mr.  Nolan's  report  was 
impossible  to  determine,  since  his  report  has  not  been  pid)- 
lished  and  a  manuscript  coi)y  was  not  available.  The 
least  that  could  be  done  would  be  to  make  the  most  of  that 
investigation  and  i)lan  of  improvement.  In  so  far  as  it 
does  not  cover  matters  mentioned  here,  the  study  should 
be  extended. 

To  summarize,  this  inquiry  would  give  latitude  for 
the  study  of  some  or  all  of  the  following: 

(a)  Grade  crossings. 

(b)  Civic  centers. 

(c)  Park,  playground  and  boulevard  j)lanning. 

(d)  Expansion  of  various  districts — manufacturing, 
retail,  residential,  etc.,  and  the  accommodation  of  street 
traffic. 

(e) .  Street  obstructions,  bill-boards,  etc. 

(f )  River  fronts,  bridges,  etc. 

(g)  Culm  banks  and  refuse  dumps, 
(h)   New  additions  to  the  city. 

V     BETTERMENT  AGENCIES. 

Conditions  in  the  charitable  field  of  Scran  ton  are 
chaotic.  A  large  numljer  of  churches  and  charitable  agen- 
cies give  relief,  but  much  of  it  is  given  without  any  co- 
operation  whatever.     ]Many  investigate   their   own   cases 

23 


more  or  less  adequately  and  many  keep  records,  but  there 
is  no  general  reporting  to  any  central  bureau  or  confiden- 
tial exchange  nor  ])lan  of  united  ed'ort.  The  Associated 
Charities  maintains  a  registration  bureau,  but  many  relief 
agencies  neither  report  to  it  nor  consult  it.  An  illustra- 
tive instance  is  the  fact  that  considerable  sums  of  money, 
granted  to  families  by  the  Public  Poor  Board,  are  not  re- 
corded at  the  Associated  Charities.  Some  of  the  most  suc- 
cessful Associated  Charities  do  investigating  for  all  relief 
agencies  and  maintain  a  central  confidential  exchange 
Avhere  all  cases  are  reported  and  recorded.  In  Scranton 
an  Associated  Charities  exists  almost  in  name  only ;  and 
thus  there  is  much  opportunity  for  unorganized  and  du- 
plicated efforts. 

It  is  not  our  purpose  to  attempt  to  fix  responsibility 
for  this  condition.  Probably  it  does  not  rest  upon  any 
one  agency.  The  head  of  one  relief  organization  who  cri- 
ticized the  Associated  Charities  because  it  "didn't  a.ssoci- 
ate''  stated  to  one  of  the  investigators  that  his  organiza- 
tion did  not  consult  the  Assocated  Charities  registration 
bureau  or  report  cases  because  they  themselves  had  "an 
intelligent  visitor"  and  did  "their  own  investigating." 
Yet  the  Associated  Charities,  in  its  last  published  report, 
(unfortunately  five  years  old)  invited  co-operation  and 
consultation  of  its  records  "from  all  churches  and  societies 
of  any  kind  which  give  relief."  But  wherever  the  fault 
lies,  it  is  clear  that  the  relief  work  in  the  city  needs  a 
thorough  overhauling.  The  present  system  must  neces- 
sarily lead  to  duplication  of  effort,  waste  of  funds  on  un- 
worthy cases  and,  what  is  more  important,  the  failure  of 
real  constructive  and  co-operative  work  toward  family  re- 
habilitation. What  Scranton  need  is  a  big  broad  gauged 
movement  for  a  real  Associated  Charities  representing  no 
single  interest  or  set  of  interests  but  serving  all  people 
and  institutions  as  a  clearing  house  for  much  of  the  social 
work  of  the  city.  Institutions  are  of  less  importance  than 
self-supporting  people  and,   if  necessary,   institutions  or 

24 


conflicting  interests  may  need  to  be  sacrificed,  so  that  all 
betterment  agencies  may  do  coordinated  and  effective 
work  for  the  common  welfare. 

Several  Scrantoii  churches  conduct  missions  in  differ- 
ent parts  (if  the  city,  but  tlici-c  is  no  social  settlement.  A 
boys'  club  is  doing  a  very  interesting  work  and  one  of 
the  churches  has  clubs  for  working  girls.  The  opportvmi- 
ties  for  other  work  that  would  be  distinctly  helpful  to 
the  foreign  population  of  the  city  would  be  worth  careful 
study. 

Many  relief  agencies  exist  in  Scranton,  but  few,  if 
any,  save  only  the  Playgrounds  Association,  devote  their 
efforts  chiefly  to  stopping  poverty,  crime  and  miseiy  at 
their  beginning  places.  There  is  no  Consumers'  League 
or  other  organization  of  similar  intent,  working  against 
such  poverty,  disease  and  crime  as  have  their  source  in 
unsanitary  shops,  long  hours  of  work,  uncompensated  in- 
dustrial accidents,  child  labor  and  so  on. 

A  study  of  the  needs  for  agencies  working  for  general 
betterment  and  embodying  the  spirit  of  the  modern  pre- 
ventive philanthropy  would  embrace  some  or  all  of  these: 

(a)   Charitable  institutions  of  the  citv. 

(.b)   Public  charity  work. 

(c)  Opportunities  for  co-operation  between  agencies. 

(d)  Local  bearing's  of  the  pension  questions. 

(e)  Need  of  work  for  immigrants. 

(f)  Opportunities  for  relating  social  work  to  the 
churches  and  the  churches  to  it. 

VI     RECREATION— USE  OF  LEISURE  TIME.   ' 

iln  the  field  of  recreation  one  organization  is  actively 
at  work  in  the  city — the  Playground  A.-sociation.  Last 
year  seven  play  places  were  secured  by  this  organization 
and  trained  play  directoi^s  were  placed  in  charge.  Un- 
fortunately, however,  the  Association's  funds  have  been 
exhausted  and  an  appropriation  by  the  City  Council  to 


continue  work  [\n<  year  was  vetoed  hy  the  mayor,  for  le-' 
gal  reasons.  It  is  to  be  hoi)ed  that  the  citizens  of  the  city 
will  meet  the  need  temporarily  and  that  as  soon  as  possible 
tlie  city  will  take  over  \\\o  play-urouiids  as  a  public  enter- 
prise. Some  play-grounds  in  use  last  summer,  while  the 
best  obtainable  by  the  Association,  were  inadequate.  A 
city  of  Scranton's  size  and  poi>ulalion-distribution,  it 
would  seem,  sli(»uld  oi)erate  at  least  seven  well  equipped 
play-grounds  of  good  size.  A  study  of  the  location  of 
children  in  the  city,  which  would  not  only  indicate  the 
need  for  such  play-grounds  but  which  would  point  out 
the  places  where  they  are  most  needed,  would  doubtless 
assist  in  enlisting  public  interest  in  this  matter. 

A  second  part  of  the  recreation  study  would  relate 
to  commercial  recreations,  the  laws  regulating  them  and 
their  general  character.  Visits  to  several  moving  picture 
shows  of  the  city  showed  them  to  be  of  high  class;  and 
save  in  one  instance,  where  the  emergency  exits  were 
nailed  shut,  the  public  safety  seemed  well  guarded.  We 
are  informed,  however,  that  some  of  the  dance  halls,  con- 
trary to  the  legal  provisions,  are  in  direct  connection  with 
saloons. 

A  fundamental  part  of  an  adequate  recreational  pro- 
gram for  any  city  is  the  social  use  of  the  schools,  a  matter 
which  has  been  discussed  in  the  section  on  schools. 

This  investigation  would  give  opportunity  for  scruti- 
ny of  some  or  all  of  the  following: 

(a)  Laws  regulating  commercial   amusements. 

(b)  Parks. 

(c)  Playground  needs. 

(d)  Recreation  uses  of  schools. 

(e)  Theatres. 

(f)  Motion  picture  shows. 

(g)  Dance  halls. 

(h)    Amusement  parks. 

(i)   Opportunities  for  adult  recreation. 


26 


VII     TAXATION  AND  PUBLIC  FINANCE. 

The  tendency  in  the  last  decade  or  two  has  heen  for 
the  government,  whether  local,  state  or  federal,  to  take 
a  large  part  in  supplying  service  to  the  citizens.  This  i~ 
well  illustrated  in  the  growing  range  of  service  of  ihe 
various  boards  uf  heallh.  The  increase  in  these  functions 
has  meant  great  increase  in  the  size  of  public  funds;  and 
in  turn  that  has  meant,  in  many  cases,  an  increased  in- 
terest by  the  average  citizen  in  governmental  matters.  The 
tax  paying  pnblic  wishes  to  know  how  nearly  100  cents 
in  service  it  is  getting  for  every  dollar  it  pays  in  taxes. 
"With  the  increasing  emphasis  on  this  demand  for  infor- 
mation and  with  improved  facilities  for  reaching  the  ear 
of  every  citizen,  full  pnblicity  of  government  finances  is 
not  difficult  and  does  not  seem  far  off. 

But  these  are  arguments  for  greater  publicity  on  the 
outgo  side  of  public  finances;  and  although  general,  they 
have  specific  application  to  Scranton  since  local  public 
reports  are  very  inadequate.  On  the  other  hand  the  ar- 
guments for  greater  knowledge  of  the  income  side  are 
fully  as  urgent.  With  four  separate  taxing  boards  Avorking 
in  the  city,  with  duplication  in  assessing,  notifying,  col- 
lecting and  handling  taxes,  the  importance  of  a  thorough- 
going study  of  the  tax  situation  can  not  be  minimized.  One 
public  official  who  is  close  to  the  local  tax  situation  esti- 
mated conservatively  that  a  re-organization  and  unifica- 
tion of  the  tax  system  would  save  the  city  at  least  $25,000 
annually — an  amount  that  would  be  of  tremendous  value 
if  spent  in  i)lay-gTounds,  for  instance,  or  for  any  of  a 
number  of  other  needed  social  forces  in  the  connnunity. 
This  investigation  would  include : 

(a)  An  examination  of  accounting  methods. 

(b)  Budget  making. 

(c)  Taxation. 

(d)  City  debt. 

(e)  Purchasing  methods 

27 


(f)  Sources  of  revenue 

(g)  Publishing  of  reports. 

VIII     .INDUSTRIAL  CONDITIONS. 

Scranton  is  essentially  an  industrial  city.  By  far  the 
majority  of  its  people  are  wage  earners  in  mills  or  mines, 
or  members,  of  wage  earners'  families.  It  would  seem 
therefore,  that  probably  no  factors  have  more  to  do  with 
shaping  the  life  of  the  jjeople  than  industrial  conditions — 
hours  of  work,  condition  of  labor,  industrial  accidents  and 
wages.  And  yet  it  is  most  difficult  to  find  any  individual 
who  has  definite  knowledge  of  general  industrial  conditions 
in  the  city. 

So  far  as  we  were  able  to  get  data,  they  showed  a 
popular  belief  that  the  wages  of  girls  in  both  factories  and 
stores  are  very  low.  Many  girls  get  $3.50  per  Aveek  or 
less,  we  are  told;  and  those  in  a  position  to  know  informed 
us  that  this  condition  is  one  of  the  contributory  causes  of 
immorality.  But  quite  aside  from  that  question,  the 
figure  is  too  low  to  insure  healthful  living  conditions  and 
some  of  the  mere  necessities  of  life.  Certainly  even  higher 
wages  have  been  proved  to  be  inadquate  to  meet  even  a  low 
cost  of  living  in  many  cities.  Moreover,  a  study  of  the 
wages,  of  men,  women,  and  children  would  undoubtedly 
throw  much  light,  not  only  on  the  causes  of  vice  and 
poverty,  but  upon  the  uses  (or  the  non-uses)  made  of  local 
facilities  for  intellectual  and  ethical  growth. 

The  mining  industry,  which  is  estimated  to  employ 
upwards  of  12,000  men  in  the  city  of  Scranton  alone,  is 
rated  as  one  of  the  most  dangerous  of  occupations.  Hun- 
dreds of  men  are  maimed  or  killed  in  this  district  every 
year.  Many  families  whose  breadwinners  have  lost  their 
lives  are  being  supported  by  the  Poor  Board  at  public  ex- 
pense. The  injustice  of  a  system  which  makes  a  limited 
part  of  the  public  and  the  injured  individuals  pay  the  cost 
of  accidents  which  are  seemingly  a  necessary  part  in  a 

28 


process  of  production  is  bein<>;  recognized  the  country  over 
in  the  movenicnt  for  workmen's  coniiionsation  laws.  A 
study  of  accidents  and  their  cost  to  the  companies,  to  the 
injured  and  to  the  pubUc,  should  yield  data  of  value  to 
those  outside  as  well  as  inside  the  city. 

The  study  of  industrial  conditions  in  Scranton  should 
include  as  many  as  possible  of  the  following: 

(a)  Hours  of  labor,  men,  women  and  children. 

(b)  Wages. 

(c)  Industrial  accidents. 

(d)  Safeguards  against  occupational   disease. 

(e)  Unions  and  their  recognition. 

(f)  Employment  agencies. 

(g)  Welfare  work. 

(h)   Relation  between  wages  and  the  cost  of  living. 

IX     DELINQUENCY. 

The  method  of  handling  juvenile  delinquents  in  the 
courts  of  kScranton  is  open  to  unfavorable  criticism  on 
several  grounds — First,  court  is  openly  held  in  the  regular 
court  rooms.  Second,  boys  and  girls  are  often  tried  to- 
gether at  the  same  session  of  court.  Third,  delinquent 
and  neglected  children  are  not  always  handled  separately. 
Fourth,  the  judges  are  so  crowded  with  work  that  the 
juvenile  sessions  are  frequently  neglected  and  children 
are  often  held  two  weeks,  sometimes  longer,  in  the  deten- 
tion home  before  a  hearing.  Fifth,  the  papers  of  the  city 
publish,  often  quite  fully,  descriptions  of  the  cases  of  de- 
linquent children.  Incidentally,  in  many  cities  the  papers 
have  agreed,  upon  the  request  of  the  court,  to  omit  all 
matter  relating  to  child  crime  or  delinquency.  There 
seems  to  be  plenty  of  reasons  for  the  establishment  of  a 
separate  juvenile  court  to  handle  children's  cases. 

The  children's  detention  home  violates  almost  every 
test  by  which  such  institutions  may  be  measured.  Boys 
and  girls  while  separated  in  their  rooms,  mingle  together 

29 


(lurinp;  the  day  under  the  matron's  care;  older  women  are 
sometimes  ke]it  at  the  home  with  young  girls;  delinquent 
cliildron,  truants  and  neglected  children  arc  not  separated; 
very  young  children  and  older  children  are  not  separated; 
double  beds  are  i)rovidcd  in  the  dormitories;  the  home  is 
often  crowded  to  capacity  and  at  such  times  the  air  be- 
comes unwholesome:  no  adequate  facilities  for  play  or 
study  are  pro\idc(l.  For  these  conditions  the  city,  not  the 
matron  in  charge,  is  mainly  responsible,  since  the  miser- 
ably inadequate  facilities  are  for  the  most  ]:>art  used  to 
the  best  advantage.  We  are  informed  that  plans  for  a 
new  home  are  under  way,  although  the  i)lans  as  yet  were 
found  to  be  very  intangible.  They  can  not  be  completed 
too  soon,  for  the  present  facilities  are  wholly  inadequate. 

A  visit  was  made  to  the  lock-up  in  the  basement  of 
the  ]\Iunicipal  Building.  .It  can  be  graded  as  fairly  good, 
as  lock-ups  go.  If  prisoners  were  held  there  more  than 
24  hours,  it  would  be  objectionable.  The  county  jail, 
considering  the  time  it  was  built,  is  surprisingly  good  in 
construction,  in  that  prisoners'  cells  open  to  the  outside 
air.  although  by  a  very  small  window.  In  its  manage- 
ment, however,  it  is  not  meeting  present  day  standards,  in 
that  it  is  used  purely  as  a  place  of  detention,  and  embodies 
no  plan  for  their  reformation.  Many  of  the  prisoners  are 
there  for  a  number  of  months,  a  sufficient  length  of  time 
to  start  reconstructive  forces  at  work.  Some  educational 
work  of  an  industrial  nature  is  much  needed.  Under 
present  conditions  there  is  not  one  chance  in  a  hundred 
that  a  prisoner  will  leave  the  jail  better  than  when  he  went 
in, — there  is  every  likelihood  that  he  will  come  out  worse; 
for  prisoners  are  kept  two  in  a  cell,  in  most  cases  regardless 
of  their  character  or  probable  influence  on  each  other. 

Finally,  the  system  of  Aldermanic  Courts  is  the  sub- 
ject of  general  criticism  on  the  part  of  many  Scranton 
citizens,  and  the  conditions  known  to  exist  in  other  cities 
of  the  state  where  the  same  system  obtains  warrant  the 
conclusion  that  an  investigation  of  these  courts  should  be 

30 


iiu'luded  in  a  social  <urvey.     The  inve!^tii>ation  would  in- 
clude as  many  of  tiie  following  as  possible: 

(a)  Aldernianic  courts. 

(b)  Juvenile  courts. 

(c)  City  lock-ups. 

(d)  Detention  home. 

(e)  The  probation  system. 

(f)  County  jail. 

(g)  Nature  of  crimes  and  their  cla^;<iiication. 
(h)    Inebriety. 

(i)   Some  phases  of  the  social  evil. 

This  report  ends  where  it  began,  in  recommending  a 
Scranton  survey  which  would  go  as  deeply  as  the  funds 
provided  would  allow,  into  the  following  matters: 
I     Community  Assets. 
II     Education. 
Ill     Public  Health  and  Sanitation. 
\y     Civic  Improvement. 
ly     Betterment  Agencies. 
A^I     Recreation. 

^'.I1     Taxation  and  Public  Finance. 
Xlll     Work  Conditions  and  Relations. 
IX     Delinquency. 


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